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COEffilGHT DEPOSIT. 



SIX ORATIONS OF PAUL 

Introduction and Comments on Text 

By E. P. CLARKE 

President of California State 
Board of Education 



Six Orations of Paul 

INTRODUCTION AND 
COMMENTS ON TEXT 

By E. P. Clarke 

President of California State 
Board of Education 




1922 
Harr Wagner Publishing Co. 

San Francisco, California 



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Copyright 
1922 

Harr Wagner Publishing Co. 

San Francisco, California 



JUL 1 7 1922 

©CI.A674944 



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TABLE OF CONTENTS 



Foreword. 

Map of Paul's Missionary Journeys. 
I — Paul Declares Jesus the Messiah. 
II— Paul at Mars Hill. 
Ill— Picture of Mars Hill. 
IV — Paul's Farewell to the Ephesian Elders. 
V— Paul Stills the Jewish Mob. 
VI— Paul Before Felix. 



FOREWORD 

We study the orations of Cicero, why 
not the orations of Paul ? 

Perhaps one answer to this question 
is the fact that even among leaders of 
the Christian church there has been lit- 
tle recognition of the fact that Paul is 
one of the great orators of history. 

The church has made full acknowl- 
edgment of the greatness of Paul in 
other respects. He stands out in his- 
tory as preeminently the missionary to 
the Gentiles; he was an efficient organ- 
izer; he ranks very high as a theolog- 
ian; he was a versatile linguist for he 
spoke and wrote Hebrew, Latin and 
Greek with equal facility ; he was an in- 
trepid hero of the faith; and finally a 
martyr for the truth. Paul was all these 
and more but in addition he is entitled 
to a place of leadership as an orator; 



10 FOREWORD 

and that conclusion is based both on the 
subject matter of his addresses and on 
their effect on those who heard them. 

There has come down to us a tradi- 
tion of Paul as a "little hooknosed Jew", 
inferior in appearance and humble and 
almost apologetic in manner. That tra- 
dition, however, is not founded on 
Luke's narrative in the Acts or on 
Paul's references to himself in his epis- 
tles. It is true that he had some form 
of bodily infirmity, but there is no logic 
in the conclusion that this was such as 
to mar his dignity or stamp him with 
any appearance of inferiority. We 
want to remember that early in his min- 
istry, the people of Lystra were ready 
to worship Paul as Mercury, the god 
of eloquence. That was a tribute both 
to his oratory and to his personal ap- 
pearance, for we know that Mercury 
in the conception of the time was the 
ideal of grace and beauty. 



FOREWORD 11 

We do well to recall the fact that 
Paul charmed the critical Athenians 
with his address on Mar's Hill; that 
by the force of his eloquence he com- 
pelled the Jewish mob that thirsted for 
his blood to listen to him while he vin- 
dicated his position as a leader in the 
Christian faith; that he made a pro- 
found impression before the court of 
Agrippa; and that he stirred the city 
of Rome during the years there when 
he "preached the kingdom of God with 
all confidence". 

A review of the epistles of Paul shows 
scores of passages that are strictly ora- 
torical in character. The habit of the 
orator was so strong upon Paul that 
even in his letters, he breaks forth in 
matchless, sonorous bits of oratory. 

Take these as examples: 
Romans 8:35, 38-9: 

Who shall separate us from the 
love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or 



12 FOREWORD 

distress, or persecution, or famine, 
or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

For I am persuaded that neither 
death nor life, nor angels, nor prin- 
cipalities, nor powers, nor things 
present, nor things to come, nor 
height, nor depth, nor any other 
creature shall be able to separate 
us from the love of God, which is 
in Christ Jesus, our Lord. 
First Corinthians 13. The first and 
last verses are characteristic : 

Though I speak with the tongues 
of men and of angels and have not 
love, I am become as sounding 
brass or a tinkling cymbal. 

And now abideth faith, hope, 
love, these three; but the greatest 
of these is love. 
Ephesians 3 : 20-21 : 

Now unto him that is able to do 
exceeding abundantly, above all 
that we ask or think, according to 
the power that worketh in us, unto 



FOREWORD 13 

him be glory in the church by 
Christ Jesus throughout all ages, 
world without end. 
Philippians 3: 13-14: 

This one thing I do, forgetting 

those things which are behind, and 
reaching forth unto those things 

which are before, I press toward 
the mark for the prize of the high 
calling of God in Christ Jesus. 
Colossians 3: 11: 

Where there is neither Greek, 
nor Jew, circumcision, nor uncir- 

cumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, 
bond, nor free; but Christ is all 

and in all. 

Second Timothy 4: 6-8: 

I am now ready to be offered, 

and the time of my departure is 

at hand. I have fought a good 

fight. I have finished my course, 

I have kept the faith; henceforth 

there is laid up for me a crown of 

righteousness, which the Lord, the 



14 FOREWORD 

righteous judge, shall give me at 
that day: and not to me only, but 
unto all them also that love his 
appearing. 
If we are to accept Paul as the au- 
thor of the epistle to the Hebrews, and 
that, I take it, is still a debatable ques- 
tion, this passage may well be chosen 
as another illustration. 
Hebrews 11: 32-34, 12: 1-2: 

And shall I say more? For the 
time would fail me to tell of Gid- 
eon, and of Barak, and of Samson, 
and of Jephthah; of David also, 
and Samuel, and of the prophets: 
Who through faith subdued king- 
doms, wrought righteousness, ob- 
tained promises, stopped the 
mouths of lions, quenched the vio- 
lence of fire, escaped the edge of 
the sword, out of weakness were 
made strong, waxed valiant in fight, 
turned to flight the armies of the 
aliens. 



FOREWORD 15 

Wherefore seeing we also are 
compassed about with so great a 
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside 
every weight and the sin which 
doth so easily beset us, and let us 
run with patience the race that is 
set before us, looking unto Jesus 
the author and finisher of our faith. 

Paul did not write out his addresses ; 
and his friend and companion, Luke, 
did not make stenographic notes of 
memorable orations he heard Paul give 
and later transcribe them for the ben- 
efit of posterity. Luke, however, was 
what the modern newspaper man would 
call a remarkably fine reporter; and 
he has preserved for us the substance 
of several addresses of Paul. I have 
selected six of these as typical of the 
style of Paul and as worthy of as care- 
ful and respectfuly study as we bestow 
on the classics of other great orators 
of history. 



MISSIONARY JOURNEYS 
OF PAUL 

(See Map on Opposite Page) 

FIRST JOURNEY: (with Barnabas and Mark) 
from Antioch (in Syria) to Cypress, Pamphylia, 
Antioch (in Psidia), Iconium, and Perga and 
back to Antioch. 

SECOND JOURNEY: (with Silas, Timothy 
and Luke) from Antioch through Cilicia to Troas 
and thence to Macedonia, visiting Phillipi, Cor- 
inth, Athens and Ephesus. Thence returning to 
Caesarea and Jerusalem and then back to An- 
tioch. 

THIRD JOURNEY: (with Luke and Titus) 
from Antioch to Greese, where the cities in 
which Paul preached and founded churches in 
his second journey were revisited. On his re- 
turn, the apostle stopped at Miletus to bid fare- 
well to the elders of the Ephesian church. He 
continued his journey to Jerusalem. 

FOURTH JOURNEY: As prisoner (with 
Luke and Aristarchus) from Caeserea by Cy- 
press, Crete, and Malta to Rome. 

There is a tradition that after his first impris- 
onment at Rome Paul made another missionary 
journey that took him to Spain and some say 
even to Britain. This, however, is tradition and 
not biblical record. 



PAUL DECLARES JESUS THE 
MESSIAH 

Acts 13: 17-39 

Introduction 

It must be admitted that in rhetorical 
effect, this address is not equal to some 
others which Luke reports in some de- 
tail; but it is of marked interest as the 
first statement of any length in Paul's 
own words in defense of the Christian 
faith. It is a cogent argument moreover 
to the Jews in support of the Messiah- 
ship of Jesus ; he says, "We declare unto 
you glad tidings how that the promise 
that was made unto the fathers, God 
hath fulfilled the same unto us their 
children." Paul also gives strong em- 
phasis to one of the cardinal points in 
the Christian faith — the resurrection of 
Jesus, fully attested to by a large group 
of disciples "who are his witnesses." 



20 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

This sermon that we can fittingly 
class as an oration was given at Antioch 
in Pisidia, to a Jewish audience in a 
Jewish synagogue. Paul spoke in re- 
sponse to the invitation of the ruler of 
the synagogue, "Ye men and brethren, 
if ye have any word of exhortation for 
the people, say on." Then Paul stood 
up and beckoning with his hand said: 

TEXT OF ORATION 

Men of Israel, and ye that fear 
God, give audience. 

The God of this people of Israel 
chose our fathers, and exalted the 
people when they dwelt as strang- 
ers in the land of Egypt, and with 
a high arm brought he them out 
of it. 

And about the time of forty 
years suffered he their manners in 
the wilderness. 

And when he had destroyed sev- 
en nations in the land of Chanaan, 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 21 

he divided their land to them by lot. 

And after that he gave unto 
them judges about the space of 
four hundred and fifty years, until 
Samuel the prophet. 

And afterward they desired a 
king: and God gave unto them 
Saul the son of Cis, a man of the 
tribe of Benjamin, by the space of 
forty years. 

And when he had removed him, 
he raised up unto them David to 
be their king; to whom also he 
gave testimony, and said, I have 
found David the son of Jesse, a 
man after mine own heart, which 
shall fulfill all my will. 

Of this man's seed hath God, ac- 
cording to his promise, raised unto 
Israel a Saviour, Jesus: 

When John had first preached 
before his coming the baptism of 
repentance to all the people of 
Israel. 



22 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

And as John fulfilled his course, 
he said, Whom think ye that I am? 
I am not he. But, behold, there 
cometh one after me, whose shoes 
of his feet I am not worthy to 
loose. 

Men and Brethren, children of the 
stock of Abraham, and whosoever 
among you feareth God, to you is 
the word of this salvation sent. 

For they that dwell at Jerusa- 
lem, and their rulers, because they 
knew him not, nor yet the voices 
of the prophets which are read 
every sabbath day, they have ful- 
filled them in condemning him. 

And though they found no cause 
of death in him, yet desired they 
Pilate that he should be slain. 

And when they had fulfilled all 
that was written of him, they took 
him down from the tree, and laid 
him in a sepulchre. 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 23 

But God raised him from the 
dead: 

And he was seen many days of 
them which came up with him 
from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are 
his witnesses unto the people. 

And we declare unto you glad 
tidings, how that the promise which 
was made unto the fathers, 

God hath fulfilled the same unto 
us their children, in that he hath 
raised up Jesus again ; as it is also 
written in the second psalm, Thou 
art my Son, this day have I begot- 
ten thee. 

And as concerning that he raised 
him up from the dead, now no 
more to return to corruption, he 
said on this wise, I will give you 
the sure mercies of David. 

Wherefore he saith also in an- 
other psalm. Thou shalt not suffer 
thine Holy One to see corruption. 



24 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

For David, after he had served 
his own generation by the will of 
God, fell on sleep, and was laid 
unto his fathers, and saw corrup- 
tion: 

But he whom God raised again, 
saw no corruption. 

Be it known unto you therefore, 
men and brethren, that through 
this man is preached unto you the 
forgiveness of sins: 

And by him all that believe are 
justified from all things, from 
which ye could not be justified by 
the law of Moses. 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 25 



PAUL AT MARS HILL 
Acts 17: 22-31 

Introduction 
We do not know that they had daily 
newspapers in Athens at the time of 
Paul's visit, but there were other forms 
of effective publicity before the days 
of newspapers ; and it seems quite evi- 
dent that Paul's arguments in the syn- 
agogue of the Jews and in the market 
place daily with all who would listen 
to him became well noised abroad 
through the city. Certain it is that 
some of the leaders of public opinion, 
philosophers, teachers and no doubt 
politicians, thought it would be a fine 
thing to give him the supreme oppor- 
tunity that the city afforded to tell 
about his "strange gods" and so they 
conducted him to Mars Hill, near the 
Acropolis, apparently with every mark 



26 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

of consideration and respect. We may 
be sure moreover that his appearance 
on this occasion was well advertised 
and that he had a highly distinguished 
audience, many simply curious to "hear 
some new thing", but others sincerely 
desirous to know more of the story of 
the resurrection of Jesus as told by this 
unknown but eloquent Jew. 

What Luke gives us of the oration 
on Mars Hill is of course only a frag- 
ment, but it is a fragment that indi- 
cates clearly the greatness of the ad- 
dress. Paul was conciliatory at the 
outset; he showed his knowledge of 
Greek literature; he worked up to his 
climaxes with the grace and skill of 
the true orator; and he had the noble 
courage to drive home the lesson of 
repentance. 

Paul's message must have been truly 
a "new thing" to those critical Athen- 
ians; some scoffed; others were indif- 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 27 

ferent; but a considerable group at 
least were profoundly stirred. The 
philosophy of the Christian faith was 
new then, not merely in Athems but 
generally throughout the known world. 
But that philosophy has shaped the 
course of history and transformed man- 
kind, while most of the fads that seem- 
ed so important to the news-eager and 
disputatious Athenians have long since 
been forgotten. 

TEXT OF ORATION 
Ye men of Athens, I perceive 
that in all things ye are very re- 
ligious. 

For as I passed by, and beheld 
your devotions I found an altar 
with this inscription, TO THE 
UNKNOWN GOD. Whom there- 
fore ye ignorantly worship, him 
declare I unto you. 

God that made the world and 
all things therein, seeing that he is 



28 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth 
not in temples made with hands; 
Neither is worshiped with men's 
hands, as though he needed any- 
thing, seeing he giveth to all life, 
and breath, and all things; 

And hath made of one blood all 
nations of men for to dwell on all 
the face of the earth, and hath de- 
termined the times before appoint- 
ed, and the bounds of their habi- 
tation ; 

That they should seek the Lord, 
if haply they might feel after him, 
and find him, though he be not far 
from every one of us: 

For in him we live, and move, 
and have our being; as certain 
also of your own poets have said, 
For we are also his offspring. 

Forasmuch then as we are the 
offspring of God, we ought not to 
think that the Godhead is like unto 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 29 

gold, or silver, or stone graven by 
art and man's device. 

And the times of this ignorance 
God winked at; but now com- 
mandeth all men everywhere to 
repent : 

Because he hath appointed a 
day, in the which he will judge the 
world in righteousness by that man 
whom he hath ordained; whereof 
he hath given assurance unto all 
men, in that he hath raised him 
from the dead. 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 31 

PAUL'S FAREWELL TO THE 
EPHESIAN ELDERS 

Acts 20: 18-35 

Introduction 

We are apt to think of Paul as a 
lonely and austere man, without close 
friends or intimates and without qual- 
ities that knit men to him. That, how- 
ever, is not the proper conception of 
the character of Paul. We have only 
to recall his friendship for Luke, Tim- 
othy and other coworkers, his affection 
for the slave Onesimus and his tender 
farewell to the elders of the church at 
Ephesus on the shore at Miletus to 
realize that he was a man of tender, 
loving heart and a devoted pastor. His 
personal relations to the members of 
the churches that he founded were like 
those of a father to his children. 



32 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

Paul was not much given to talking 
about himself, but in this message to 
these friends from Ephesus he opened 
his heart to them. He showed them 
how much he loved them and the peo- 
ple from whom they came; he told 
them how he had given himself unspar- 
ingly to the service of the Master ; and 
he plead with them to follow his exam- 
ple and "help the weak", remembering 
the words of the Lord Jesus, "how he 
said it is more blessed to give than to 
receive". No wonder, as Luke tells us 
in his simple but wonderfully graphic 
story, that "they all wept sore, and fell 
on Paul's neck and kissed him, sorrow- 
ing most of all for the words which he 
spake that they should see his face no 
more". 

That sort of a demonstration was 
never called out except by a man of 
winning personality and tender affec- 
tion. 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 33 

TEXT OF ORATION 

Ye know, from the first day that 
I came into Asia, after what man- 
ner I have been with you at all 
seasons, 

Serving the Lord with all humil- 
ity of mind, and with many tears, 
and temptations, which befell me 
by the lying in wait of the Jews: 

And how I kept back nothing 
that was profitable unto you, but 
have shewed you, and have taught 
you publicly, and from house to 
house, 

Testifying both to the Jews, and 
also to the Greeks, repentance to- 
ward God, and faith toward our 
Lord Jesus Christ. 

And now, behold, I go bound in 
the spirit unto Jerusalem, not 
knowing the things that shall be- 
fall me there: 



34 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

Save that the Holy Ghost wit- 
nesseth in every city, saying that 
bonds and afflictions abide me. 

But none of these things move 
me, neither count I my life dear 
unto myself, so that I might finish 
my course with joy, and the minis- 
try, which I have received of the 
Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel 
of the grace of God. 

And now, behold I know that ye 
all, among whom I have gone 
preaching the kingdom of God, 
shall see my face no more. 

Wherefore I take you to record 
this day, that I am pure from the 
blood of all men. 

For I have not shunned to de- 
clare unto you all the counsel of 
God. 

Take heed therefore unto your- 
selves, and to all the flock, over 
the which the Holy Ghost hath 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 35 

made you overseerers, to feed the 
church of God, which he hath pur- 
chased with his own blood. 

For I know this, that after my 
departing shall grievous wolves 
enter in among you, not sparing 
the flock. 

Also of your own selves shall 
men arise, speaking perverse things, 
to draw away disciples after them. 

Therefore watch, and remember, 
that by the space of three years I 
ceased not to warn every one night 
and day with tears. 

And now, brethren, I commend 
you to God, and to the word of 
his grace, which is able to build 
you up, and to give you an inher- 
itance among all them which are 
sanctified. 

I have coveted no man's silver, 
or gold, or apparel. 



36 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

Yea, ye yourselves know, that 
these hands have ministered unto 
my necessities, and to them that 
were with me. 

I have shewed you all things, 
how that so labouring ye ought to 
support the weak, and to remem- 
ber the words of the Lord Jesus, 
how he said, It is more blessed to 
give than to receive. 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 37 



PAUL STILLS THE JEWISH MOB 
Acts 22: 1-21 

Introduction 

Paul's rescue from the Jewish mob 
at the door of the temple and his ad- 
dress on the steps of the Roman castle 
make a story of thrilling interest and 
place the apostle to the Gentiles before 
us in the light of a great orator and 
a true hero. 

The attack on Paul was entirely with- 
out justification. It was started by the 
lying report that the apostle had taken 
Gentiles into the inner court of the tem- 
ple. But the Jewish fanatics were more 
ready to believe a lie about Paul than 
the truth and so they fell upon him 
and would have torn him in pieces but 
for the timely intervention of the Ro- 
man soldiers. They drove back the 



38 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

bloodthirsty Jews, dragged Paul away 
from them and started to take him up 
into the castle. 

One might think that Paul would 
have been very glad to escape and that 
he would have lost no time in getting 
safely behind the brazen doors of the 
castle, against which the howling der- 
vishes who were after him might beat 
in vain. But Paul was not that sort 
of a man. He had faced mobs before; 
he had been stoned and dragged out 
of cities as dead; he had fought with 
wild beasts in the arena at Ephesus; 
and he was not afraid of these Jews. 
He had a message for them and he pro- 
posed to deliver it then and there. The 
Roman eagles were at his back, sym- 
bols of an authority that the Jews hated 
but nevertheless feared. And speaking 
in Greek to the captain, he asked per- 
mission to address the men who were 
howling for his life. And when per- 
mission was granted, he wiped the dust 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 39 

and blood from his face, stretched forth 
his hand, stilled the mob, and then, 
speaking in Hebrew, he began his de- 
fense It is a magnificent picture of 
courage and power. 

TEXT OF ORATION 

Men, brethren, and fathers, hear 
ye my defence which I make now 
unto you. 

I am verily a man which am a 
Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cil- 
icia, yet brought up in this city at 
the feet of Gamaliel and taught 
according to the perfect manner of 
the law of the fathers, and was 
zealous toward God, as ye all are 
this day. 

And I persecuted this way unto 
the death, binding and delivering 
into prisons both men and women. 

As also the high priest doth 
bear me witness, and all the estate 



40 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

of the elders: from whom also I 
received letters unto the brethren, 
and went to Damascus, to bring 
them which were there bound unto 
Jerusalem, for to be punished. 

And it came to pass, that, as I 
made my journey, and was come 
nigh unto Damascus about noon, 
suddenly there shone from heaven 
a great light round about me. 

And I fell unto the ground, and 
heard a voice saying unto me, 
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou 
me? 

And I answered, Who art thou, 
Lord? And he said unto me, I am 
Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou per- 
secutest. 

And they that were with me saw 
indeed the light, and were afraid; 
but they heard not the voice of him 
that spake to me. 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 41 

And I said, What shall I do, 
Lord? And the Lord said unto 
me, Arise, and go into Damascus; 
and there it shall be told thee of 
all things which are appointed for 
thee to do. 

And when I could not see for 
the glory of that light, being led 
by the hand of them that were 
with me, I came into Damascus. 

And one Ananias, a devout man 
according to the law, having a 
good report of all the Jews which 
dwelt there. 

Came unto me, and stood, and 
said unto me, Brother Saul, re- 
ceive thy sight. And the same 
hour I looked up upon him. 

And he said, The God of our 
fathers hath chosen thee, that thou 
shouldest know his will, and see 
that Just One, and shouldest hear 
the voice of his mouth. 



42 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

For thou shalt be his witness 
unto all men of what thou hast 
seen and heard. 

And now why tarriest thou? 
arise, and be baptized, and wash 
away thy sins, calling on the name 
of the Lord. 

And it came to pass, that, when 
I was come again to Jerusalem, 
even while I prayed in the temple, 
I was in a trance; 

And saw him saying unto me, 
Make haste, and get thee quickly 
out of Jerusalem : for they will not 
receive thy testimony concerning 
me. 

And I said, Lord, they know 
that I imprisoned and beat in 
every synagogue them that be- 
lieved on thee: 

And when the blood of thy mar- 
tyr Stephen was shed, I also was 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 43 

standing by, and consenting unto 
his death, and kept the raiment of 
them that slew him. 

And he said unto me, Depart: 
for I will send thee far hence unto 
the Gentiles. 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 45 



PAUL BEFORE FELIX 
Acts 24: 10-21 

Introduction 

Paul made two notable defenses be- 
fore the Roman authorities, once be- 
fore Felix and later before Agrippa. 
Luke gives us a more complete report 
of the oration before Agrippa, but the 
appearance before Felix presents Paul 
to us as a remarkable pleader, a tactful 
and conciliatory speaker and an able 
champion of the vital truths of Chris- 
tianity. 

The Jewish accusers of Paul did not 
appear in person on the occasion of the 
hearing before Felix, but they hired "a 
certain orator, named Tertullus" to rep- 
resent them. Tertullus was no doubt 
a Roman and we should call him a jury 
lawyer. He started in by handing out 



46 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

a lot of flattery to Felix and then in- 
dulged in a rather skillful review of 
the charges against Paul that the Jew- 
ish priests had loaded him up with. 

When Paul came to speak, he did not 
imitate the gross flattery of Tertullus, 
but he did establish friendly relations 
with the court by a few well-chosen 
words of compliment. Then he opened 
up on Tertullus and he certainly made 
that hired pleader look very small. 
There was a dignity and power about 
what he said in answer to the charges 
of the Jews that must have commanded 
instant and respectful attention. 
TEXT OF ORATION 
Forasmuch as I know that thou 
hast been of many years a judge 
unto this nation, I do the more 
cheerfully answer for myself: 

Because that thou mayest under- 
stand, that there are yet but twelve 
days since I went up to Jerusalem 
for to worship. 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 47 

And they neither found me in 
the temple disputing with any man, 
neither raising up the people, neith- 
er in the synagogues, nor in the 
city. 

Neither can they prove the things 
whereof they now accuse me. 

But this I confess unto thee, that 
after the way which they call here- 
sy, so worship I the God of my 
fathers, believing all things which 
are written in the law and in the 
prophets : 

And have hope toward God, 
which they themselves also allow, 
that there shall be a resurrection 
of the dead, both of the just and 
unjust. 

And herein do I exercise myself, 
to have always a conscience void 
of offence toward God, and toward 
men. 



48 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

Now after many years I came 
to bring alms to my nation, and 
offerings. 

Whereupon certain Jews from 
Asia found me purified in the tem- 
ple, neither with multitude, nor 
with tumult. 

Who ought to have been here 
before thee, and object, if they had 
aught against me. 

Or else let these same here say, 
if they have found any evil doing 
in me, while I stood before the 
council. 

Except it be for this one voice, 
that I cried standing among them, 
Touching the resurrection of the 
dead I am called in question by 
you this day. 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 49 



PAUL'S DEFENSE BEFORE 
AGRIPPA 

Acts 26: 2-29 

Introduction 

The Romans dearly loved a show; 
and Paul's defense before Agrippa was 
made a notable occasion in the Roman 
court at Caeserea. Luke says that they 
gathered "with great pomp", and that 
beside Festus, Agrippa and his sister 
Bernice — famous alike for her beauty 
and dissoluteness — the "chief captains 
and principal men" of the city were 
present. 

This distinguished company, how- 
ever, was to be treated to something 
more than a spectacle. They had heard 
no doubt of the fame of Paul as an 
orator; and this fashionable audience 
expected to witness a fine exhibition 



50 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

of eloquence. In this they were not 
disappointed; they found that the man 
who disputed on Mars Hill, who awed 
the mob on the castle steps at Jerusa- 
lem and discomforted Tertullus before 
Felix had in his two years in prison 
lost none of his winning grace, manly 
dignity and moral power. They were 
not prepared, however, for the search- 
ing personal appeal he made to their 
consciences, and that after all is the 
highest test of oratory. These people 
who had come together to make a show 
of Paul's oratory were glad when they 
could close the hearing and escape from 
his "words of truth and soberness", 
lest more than one might be "almost 
persuaded". 

There were many dramatic incidents 
in the life of Paul, but none more so 
than the closing appeal in this noble 
oration. The climax fairly burns itself 
into the memory; no jesture of elo- 
quence could have been more effective 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 51 

than when the apostle lifted his man- 
acled hands and said, "I would to God, 
that not only thou, but also all that hear 
me this day, were both almost and al- 
together such as I am, except these 
bonds". 

TEXT OF ORATION 

I think myself happy, king 
Agrippa, because I shall answer for 
myself this day before thee touch- 
ing all the things whereof I am 
accused of the Jews: 

Especially because I know thee 
to be expert in all customs and 
questions which are among the 
Jews: wherefore I beseech thee 
to hear me patiently. 

My manner of life from my 
youth, which was at the first 
among mine own nation at Jeru- 
salem, know all the Jews; 

Which knew me from the begin- 
ning, if they would testify, that 



52 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

after the most straitest sect of our 
religion I lived a Pharisee. 

And now I stand and am judged 
for the hope of the promise made 
to God unto our fathers: 

Unto which promise our twelve 
tribes, instantly serving God day 
and night, hope to come. For 
which hope's sake, king Agrippa, 
I am accused of the Jews. 

Why should it be thought a 
thing incredible with you, that 
God should raise the dead? 

I verily thought with myself, 
that I ought to do many things 
contrary to the name of Jesus of 
Nazareth. 

Which thing I also did in Jeru- 
salem: and many of the saints did 
I shut up in prison, having receiv- 
ed authority from the chief priests ; 
and when they were put to death, 
I gave my voice against them. 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 53 

And I punished them oft in 
every synagogue, and compelled 
them to blaspheme; and being ex- 
ceedingly mad against them, I per- 
secuted them even unto strange 
cities. 

Whereupon as I went to Damas- 
cus with authority and commission 
from the chief priests, 

At midday, O king, I saw in the 
way a light from heaven, above 
the brightness of the sun, shining 
round about me and them which 
journeyed with me. 

And when we were all fallen to 
the earth, I heard a voice speaking 
unto me, and saying in the Hebrew 
tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecut- 
est thou me? it is hard for thee 
to kick against the pricks. 

And I said, Who art thou, Lord? 
And he said, I am Jesus whom 
thou persecutest. 



54 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

But arise, and stand upon thy 
feet: for I have appeared unto 
thee for this purpose, to make thee 
a minister and a witness both of 
these things which thou hast seen, 
and of those things in the which 
I will appear unto thee; 

Delivering thee from the people, 
and from the Gentiles, unto whom 
now I send thee. 

To open their eyes, and to turn 
them from darkness to light, and 
from the power of Satan unto God, 
that they may receive forgiveness 
of sins, and inheritance among 
them which are sanctified by faith 
that is in me. 

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, 
I was not disobedient unto the 
heavenly vision: 

But shewed first unto them of 
Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and 
throughout all the coasts of Judea, 



ORATIONS OF PAUL 55 

and then to the Gentiles, that they 
should repent and turn to God, 
and do works meet for repentance. 

For these causes the Jews caught 
me in the temple, and went about 
to kill me. 

Having therefore obtained help 
of God, I continue unto this day, 
witnessing both to small and great, 
saying none other things than those 
which the prophets and Moses did 
say should come: 

That Christ should suffer, and 
that he should be the first that 
should rise from the dead, and 
should shew light unto the peo- 
ple, and to the Gentiles. 

(And as he thus spake for him- 
self, Festus said with a loud voice, 
Paul, thou art beside thyself ; 
much learning doth make thee 
mad. 



56 ORATIONS OF PAUL 

But he said,) 

I am not mad, most noble Fes- 
tus; but speak forth the words of 
truth and soberness. 

For the king knoweth of these 
things, before whom also I speak 
freely: for I am persuaded that 
none of these things are hidden 
from him; for this thing was not 
done in a corner. 

King Agrippa, believest thou the 
prophets? I know that thou be- 
lievest. 

(Then Agrippa said unto Paul, 
Almost thou persuadest me to be 
a Christian. 

And Paul said,) 

I would to God, that not only 
thou, but also all that hear me this 
day, were both almost, and alto- 
gether such as I am, except these 
bonds. 



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